If you believe that you have been wrongfully convicted of a crime in a Virginia court, you may wish to appeal your case. We regularly handle appeals to the Supreme Court of Virginia and the Court of Appeals of Virginia. Every case is different, but in some cases we have successfully overturned our client’s conviction. At Blanch & Hart you can be sure that we have the skill your appeal requires and that your case will receive the attention it deserves.
Your conviction may be overturned by an appeals court if it determines that:
- The evidence was insufficient to convict you;
- You were actually innocent of the charge; or
- Your trial was unfair because of mistakes made by the judge or the prosecutor.
Appealing your conviction is a complex process that requires an attorney with experience. Even if your case is a winner, you can lose your appeal if you do not act within the very short time limits provided for appeals in Virginia. In virtually every case, you must appeal within 30 days of being sentenced. Legal briefs must be prepared at each stage of the appeal. Strict rules about how the briefs are written can cause a winning appeal to be thrown out without a court ever considering whether you have been wrongfully convicted. Don’t gamble on your appeal – hire experienced counsel.
Some examples of our appellate work:
http://www.courts.state.va.us/opinions/opnscvwp/1160665.pdf
http://www.courts.state.va.us/opinions/opnscvwp/1120496.pdf
http://courts.state.va.us/opinions/opncavwp/0877084.pdf
http://www.courts.state.va.us/opinions/opnscvwp/1170128.pdf
http://www.courts.state.va.us/opinions/opnscvwp/1100395.pdf